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Towing and weights
Towing capacity: the four limits, and a calculator that checks them
A vehicle's "towing capacity" is only one of four limits, and on most rigs it is not the one you hit first. Pick your vehicle, enter the van, and see all four.
Hitch & HighwayChecked 3 October 20264 min read
Quick answer
To tow legally you must stay under four limits at once: the vehicle's braked towing capacity (against the trailer's loaded weight), its tow ball rating (against the weight on the ball), its GVM (the vehicle loaded, including the ball weight) and its GCM (vehicle and trailer together). On many dual-cab utes the GCM or GVM runs out before the towing capacity does.
Can it tow it?
Vehicle figures as tabulated by Loadmate for the variant shown, snapshot read 3 October 2026. Check your own compliance plate and handbook: limits differ by variant, year and fitted accessories. Measure the fully loaded setup and check your own ratings. This calculator does not check axle limits, brakes, stability or every approval condition.
The four limits
- Braked towing capacity. The most the trailer may weigh, fully loaded (its ATM), if it has brakes. Unbraked trailers have a much lower limit, often 750 kg.
- Tow ball download. The most weight the trailer may put on the tow ball. Many utes are rated at 350 kg, some less; the towbar has its own rating too, and the lower one applies.
- GVM (gross vehicle mass). The most the vehicle may weigh, loaded: kerb weight plus people, gear, accessories, fuel and the tow ball weight.
- GCM (gross combination mass). The most the vehicle and trailer may weigh together.
How to calculate it yourself
- Vehicle weight = kerb weight + people + gear + accessories (towbar, canopy, bar work) + tow ball weight. Must be under GVM.
- Combined weight = kerb weight + people + gear + accessories + the trailer's loaded weight. Must be under GCM.
- Trailer loaded weight must be under the braked towing capacity, and the ball weight under the ball rating.
Best of all, weigh the loaded rig on a public weighbridge, vehicle and trailer separately and together.
Popular tow vehicles at a glance
| Vehicle | Braked | Ball | GVM | GCM | Kerb | Payload at full tow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BYD Shark 6Performance 2.0T PHEV MY26 | 3,500 | 350 | 3,500 | 6,650 | 2,775 | 375 |
| BYD Shark 6Premium 1.5T PHEV MY25 | 2,500 | 250 | 3,500 | 5,750 | 2,710 | 540 |
| Ford EverestSport 3.0 V6 4WD MY26.50 | 3,500 | 350 | 3,150 | 6,250 | 2,416 | 334 |
| Ford RangerXLT V6 MY26.50 | 3,500 | 350 | 3,350 | 6,400 | 2,251 | 649 |
| Ford Ranger RaptorRaptor 3.0 V6 petrol MY26 | 2,500 | 350 | 3,130 | 5,370 | 2,413 | 367 |
| GWM Cannon AlphaAlpha Lux Turbo Diesel MY25 | 3,500 | 350 | 3,310 | 6,555 | 2,489 | 471 |
| GWM Tank 300Ultra Diesel MY25 | 3,000 | n/p | 2,880 | 5,580 | 2,280 | 300 |
| INEOS GrenadierStation Wagon (Diesel) MY26 | 3,500 | 350 | 3,550 | 7,000 | 2,747 | 453 |
| Isuzu D-MaxLS-U 3.0 MY25.5 | 3,500 | 350 | 3,100 | 6,000 | 2,105 | 395 |
| Isuzu MU-XLS-U 4x4 3.0 MY25.5 | 3,500 | 350 | 2,800 | 5,900 | 2,160 | 240 |
| KGM MussoAdvance/Ultimate XLV MY26 | 3,500 | 350 | 2,980 | 6,480 | 2,100 | 530 |
| Kia TasmanSX MY26 | 3,500 | 350 | 3,250 | 6,200 | 2,225 | 475 |
| Mazda BT-50XTR 3.0 MY25 | 3,500 | 350 | 3,100 | 6,000 | 2,098 | 402 |
| Mitsubishi Pajero SportGLS 4WD 25MY | 3,100 | 310 | 2,775 | 5,565 | 2,130 | 335 |
| Mitsubishi TritonGLS MY25 | 3,500 | 350 | 3,200 | 6,250 | 2,117 | 633 |
| Nissan NavaraST MY26 | 3,500 | 350 | 3,190 | 6,250 | 2,143 | 607 |
| Nissan PatrolTi MY26 | 3,500 | 350 | 3,500 | 7,000 | 2,786 | 364 |
| RAM 1500Laramie Sport 3.0 Hurricane SO Jul 2026 | 4,500 | 450 | 3,505 | 7,711 | 2,642 | 413 |
| Toyota HiLuxSR5 2.8 diesel 48V MY26 | 3,500 | n/p | 3,120 | 6,300 | 2,155 | 645 |
| Toyota LandCruiser 300GXL MY25 | 3,500 | 350 | 3,280 | 6,750 | 2,545 | 385 |
| Toyota LandCruiser 79GXL Dual Cab MY25 | 3,500 | 350 | 3,510 | 7,010 | 2,185 | 975 |
| Toyota Prado (250)GXL (7 seats) June 2026 | 3,500 | 350 | 3,150 | 6,600 | 2,530 | 270 |
| Volkswagen AmarokStyle TDI600 MY25 | 3,500 | 350 | 3,350 | 6,400 | 2,386 | 514 |
The last column is the one most people miss: how much the vehicle can carry while towing its full rated trailer. It is often a few hundred kilos, before you add a canopy, bar work or a second battery.
Vans
Our vehicle list covers utes and 4WDs, the most common tow vehicles for caravans. For vans such as the HiAce and Transit, use the same four checks with the figures from your compliance plate and handbook.
Common questions
How do I calculate towing capacity?
Check four limits: trailer weight against braked towing capacity, ball weight against the tow ball rating, the loaded vehicle (including ball weight) against GVM, and vehicle plus trailer against GCM. All four must pass.
What is a good tow ball weight?
About 10 per cent of the loaded trailer weight is a common guide for caravans, but never above the vehicle's or towbar's tow ball rating. Weigh it with a tow ball scale.
What is braked towing capacity?
The maximum loaded weight of a trailer that has its own brakes which the vehicle maker allows the vehicle to tow.
Sources
Hitch & Highway is a towing and van gear store in preparation and is not trading yet.